Sustainable Collaboration; Transforming Alliances for EPR in non-OECD Context: A case of Pakistan

Abstract: Extended producer responsibility (EPR) has been successfully implemented in various developed countries. The complex waste flows and the presence of the informal sector in non-OECD countries makes the execution of EPR challenging widely. The informal sector owing to its contribution to the waste management sector has been advocated for inclusion and recognition by researchers and practitioners. The association of the informal sector with EPR has a negative connotation since it complicates the feasibility and logistics involved in formal planning. However, existing practices and research pertinent to the inclusion of the informal sector in solid waste management offer transferable lessons to be considered under EPR. A recent development suggests exploring the linkages of EPR with sustainable livelihoods and re-structuring of value chains and to distribute gains more equitably. Following this suggestion, four research objectives are pursued: 1) Functioning of EPR initiative when implemented in a country with the informal sector, (2) Facilitating producers in extending their responsibility to tackle packaging waste by exploring the contemporary issues pertinent to the end-of-life (EoL) management of the waste in Pakistan, (3) Understanding and identification of potential tradeoffs concerning the informal sector, and (4) Propose a more feasible phase-in approach in implementing extended producer responsibility policy (voluntary or/and mandatory) in countries with an informal sector. This research follows a case study strategy. To see how EPR functions with an informal sector, the case of South Africa is analyzed and the environmental effectiveness of three industry-led voluntary EPR initiatives is evaluated. The collection of material for recycling is used as proxies to assess how much the policy achieved its goals of adequate end-of-life (EoL) product management. The case study of South Africa is based on a systematic literature review, whereas, the contextual case study of Pakistan is based on topical interviews. The research is framed by theory-based evaluation (TBE). The analysis of policy relevance revealed that several contemporary EoL product management issues and needs in Pakistan are linked to the intended outcomes and objectives of the EPR principle. Whereas, the political feasibility analysis revealed that the implementation mechanism is found with constraints and challenges. The feasibility of including the informal sector in EoL remains contested. Formal recyclers and private sector already engage with the informal sector, while producers are likely to engage due to their internal sustainability targets, exogenous factors, and the strategic advantage, i.e. the dominance of the informal sector in the collection phase. However, flexibility in the implementation of the EPR principle is likely to encourage actors to engage with selective informal groups. Based on these findings and the analysis, two implementation mechanism models are developed, as a phase-in approach, for the execution of the EPR principle in countries with the informal sector. These models are developed considering the contextual issues of EoL management relevant to the EPR goals and the subjected to implementation mechanism concerns as identified under the analysis of relevancy, learnings from the case study of South Africa, and literature review. The models are framed following theory-based evaluation (TBE). It reasons that this approach would be more apposite, and discusses the salient features of each implementation model/stage.